Harry Potter And The Soul Bond
by Atrix Reaper
Summary: The Longbottoms tortured to madness... The Potters are dead... Harry survived the killing curse... Dumbledore left him on the doorstep of No.4 Privet Drive... But unknown to anyone , THAT'S where everything is different. (Books belong to J.K Rowling! Plot is mine though! Dumbledore bashing. Weasley lovers, don't read. HarryXHermione shippers you're gonna LOVE this! Enjoy!)
1. Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

Harry Potter survived the killing curse.

A one year old did what people fifty times his age failed to do; he banished the Dark Lord.

No one knows where the young hero is, but everyone heard the story of The Boy Who Lived.

A man appeared on a corner of Privet Drive, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.

Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at a Cat, which was sitting on a lamp post, and staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."

He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again and the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.

Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."

"You don't mean- you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore you can't. I've been watching them all day yesterday. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. And you want Harry Potter to come and live here!"

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in the future — there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriouslyover the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.

"Hagrid's bringing him."

"You think it — wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on theroad in front of them.

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where — ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.

"Well," said Dumbledore, having just put Harry in the doorstep, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

Unbeknownst to anyone... that after Minerva left the previous day... A truck moved the belongings of the Durslys away while another one moved the new occupants' belongings into the former Dursly house hold.


	2. Chapter 2: Heart Beats

The Grangers are talented dentists, there's no doubt about that, but some people don't appreciate such talents. Because of a few complications, they had to shut down their Practice and move to another house. Where did they go? No.4 Privet Drive. Of course it was smaller than their old house but it's better than the streets, right?

"Those Durslys are so rude!" Yelled the 2 year old daughter, Hermione Granger. "And their son is a Man-Eating Dinosaur!" And she left them to go up to here new room so she could unpack.

Her Father, Richard Granger, just looked at where his daughter went of to and scratched his head in confusion. " 'Man-Eating Dinosaur'? Aren't those words a bit to old for here?" He asked his wife, Emma Granger. She shrugged.

"I actually don't know whether she's Two or Twelve." She shaked her head. Hermione has always been mentally older than her actual age. She even started reading Seven years-old level books not two months ago!

After a few hours of unpacking, the Grangers ordered Pizza and ate with a few conversations here and there (Hermione was still complaining about the Durslys), Everyone was so tired that they all went to bed early.

Hermione tossed and turned on her mattress (they haven't moved her bed yet), she just couldn't sleep. After five minutes she just decided to lay on her back and stare at the cealing.

And then she heard it.

Someone hitting the drums. It's in a steady rhythm... like a... like a heart beat?

_Ba dum... ba dum... ba dum..._

She can't explain how, she just can hea- she can _feel_ someone's heart beats.

_Ba dum... ba dum... ba dum..._

And they're getting louder.

So she decided to investigate.

She left the mattress and got to her window, and by using a chair and a few cushions (she's still to short to reach the window), she was able to peak outside.

Only to find that it's pich black outside.

_'That's strange.'_ she thought. _'Shouldn't the lamp posts be working by now?'_

She went to her bedroom door.

_Ba dum... ba dum... ba dum..._

The heart beats got slightly louder, which means that she's getting closer.

She walked down the stairs.

_Ba dum... ba dum... ba dum...!_

She stopped right in front of the door. To short to reach the knob, she pressed her ear against the wood.

And the heart beats are louder than ever.

_BA DUM... BA DUM... BA DUM...!_

Suddenly feeling like she must find the source of the heart beats, she went up to her room, brought the chair, and went back down so she could reach the knob.

She opened the door only to find... A baby?

_'Who would leave a baby on a stranger's door step?'_ But only then did she realize the open, bleeding wound on his forehead and that the only thing covering him is a thin blanket in a cold November night...

"MUM! DAD!"

* * *

Richard sighed. He woke up to his daughter shouting about a baby in the cold and something about heart beats, but once Emma saw the boy she immediately took him in, covered him, and tended to his wound.

They found their daughter quite attached to the baby. She has been watching over it in her room while Richard and Emma were reading the letter they found in it's crib.

After making sure that her daughter couldn't hear, she asked her husband "What are we going to do, Richard? That child should've been with the Durslys. The letter was clearly addressed to them."

"I don't know, Emma, but we're definitely going to keep him for the night. Maybe we can visit the Durslys tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Sounds like a plan. But Hermione is going to be so heart broken. It appears that she found her future husband." She smirked at him when his eyes widen.

"Emma, don't joke about that! They're both just kids!"

"Kids that will grow up to be husband and wife." Oh, she just _loved_ teasing her husband.

"Right, we'll keep him for the night, then we'll visit the Durslys tomorrow." He said, trying to direct the conversation to a different topic.

But she's not going to give him a break, is she? "Just try not to strangle the boy when Hermione comes back home one day with a ring on her left finger."

Richard just groaned. Dammit his wife knew how to push his buttons. It's hard to believe that they were best friends in the past.

She just smirked at him, but she decided to have mercy on him for the time being. "I'll go upstairs and tell Hermione about our plans."

If only she knew how true her teasing was.

Hermione kept watching over the baby for a while. She couldn't help but stare at him, even her favorite book proved to be unable to distract her from him (which surprised her a lot).

She just didn't know why but his heart beats proven to be somewhat soothing for her.

_Ba dum... ba dum... ba dum..._

They seem calmer now. _'They must've been beating to fast from the cold.'_ She bet. _'He **was** hardly wearing anything.'_

She lost count on how long she was watching him but she didn't even flinch when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in!" Emma entered the room and sat beside her daughter on the floor while she just continued to watch over the child.

They sat in silence watching the boy for a few moments until...

"Harry." That made Hermione's eyes leave the boy.

"What?"

"That's his name. Harry." Her Mum answered.

"How do you know that?"

"There was a letter in his crib and it says his name is Harry." Her Mum explained.

_'Harry?'_ she thought. _'I don't think I'll forget that name anytime soon.'_

"We also found out that he should've ended up with the Durslys."

"WHAT?!" shwe yelled. "what do you mean 'He should've ended up withe the Durslys'?"

"I'm sorry, dear, but we think that whoever put Harry on our doorstep thought that the Durslys still live here. Harry is their relative."

"But...But...Mum, please! You saw the Durslys, their meanies!" she can't just leave Harry with them, she just cant!

"I'm sorry, dear. We _will_ keep him for the night, though."

"Really? Can he stay with me tonight? pleeeeease?" she was about to object but once she saw Hermone give her best puppy dog eyes, she just couldn't help it.

"Alright, he can stay with you tonight."

Hermione just squeezed the living daylights out of her mother in delight. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Mum! You're the best!"

This is where it all started...

Just a tiny flame that is their Soul Bond...

But just like any flame, it grew and got stronger...

It kept growing until it became the strongest bond ever known to Wizard Kind...

And to think it all started with a Heart Beat.


	3. Chapter 3: Bright Green Eyes

Hermione was ecstatic. She was able to convince her Mum to let Baby Harry sleep on the mattress with her. Once her Mum tucked both of them in and left, she immediately went back to her watching duty. She knew they must bring him back to his relatives the next day, she just wished that she could stay with her a little before that.

And suddenly, as if sensing her thoughts, the boy opened his eyes and looked at her.

And he put a tiny little hand on her eye. She just burst end out laughing at that, which caused young Harry to laugh, too. _'Awww. He's just to cute!'_

She was ten months older than him, she knew (Her mother told her his birthday from the letter. He was born on July 31st, while she was born on September 19th a year before that), and since she's actually two, that makes him barley a year old. He wouldn't understand her, heck he wouldn't even know how to blab yet, but she talked to him anyways.

"Hello, Baby Harry. My name is Hermione."

He just looked at her. But she could've sworn she saw recognition in his eyes. He understood her. And she fell asleep thinking about them.

His _Bright._

_Green._

_Eyes._

* * *

He wouldn't let go of her hand. Since Emma woke them up that morning so they could go to the Durslys, he clutched her hand and wouldn't let go.

And of course it's a golden opportunity for Emma. After taking a picture of the two, she whispered loud enough so only Richard could hear, "Holding hands is an early sign of a relationship." She absolutely enjoyed watching her husband trying to pry their hands apart afterwards. And the funniest thing of it all, the young couple always rejoin hands as soon as he turned his back.

It was about a 10 minutes walk from No.4 Privet Drive to No.15 Privet Drive, the Durslys new home.

Baby Harry was still to young to walk by himself so they put him in Hermione's old stroller with said girl walking beside it (He still wouldn't let go of her hand.)

The door opened a few moments after Richard rang the bell and they weren't happy at all with the faces who greeted them but they still smiled for manners.

"Ah! Richard, Emma! It's nice to see you again! How long has it been? Come in, come in!" Said Vernon Dursly, our third least favorite, permenently purple faced, character. "Petunia! Get the tea going! The Grangers are here!"

"Already on it, dear!" Said Petunia Dursly, the person who can sniff gossip a country away, who shares the third place on that list with Vernon.

_'How long has it been?'_ Thought Richard. _'We've barely known each other for a weak! And since when have we been on first name terms?'_ But for the sake of the child, he had to maintain that fake smile.

"Hello, Vernon. It's nice to see you, too." they entered the living room to see the third person who's shareing the third place on the very same list: Dudly Dursly, who happened to be devouring his way through his fourth packet of biscuits.

Once all of them were seated and tea was served (Hermione was given Orange Juice, while Harry was given a bottle of milk. Dudley only went for a fifth packet), they started talking about Vernon's favorite subject: drills.

"It was a really great deal and I suspect that..." Don't get me wrong! No one was _actually_ listening to him! Not even his own wife! Just a few nods here and there is enough for that pea brained buffalo.

Harry and Hermione were still holding hands so Hermione finished her juice rather quickly so she could help Harry with his milk. Petunia thought that it was a perfect opportunity.

"Your son is really cute, Emma! Though, what is that scar on his forehead?" She asked.

Richard looked at her, secretly thanking her for changing the subject. "Ah! That's the reason that we came here, actually. You see..." And he proceeded to tell them the entire story about their daughter finding the boy on the doorstep, the letter, and his parents. Though he failed to notice the looks of pure loathing that were sent in Harry's direction.

The Durslys reluctantly took him in, and promised the Grangers to look after him, though they had their fingers crossed behind their backs.

After a long while, Hermione finally -and reluctantly- let go of Harry's hand as they were leaving, but Hermione didn't want to leave, she wanted to hold his hand again.

"Hem-oh-nee."

She was positive that she was the only one who heard that. The sight of Baby Harry with his tiny hands outstretched for her almost had her running back to him, and that's not counting the fact that he literally called her name when he's obviously to young to be able to (Well, something close enough to her name, but who cares!).

She sneaked a last glance at Harry right before the door closed and saw something that will stick in her memory forever.

_Bright._

_Green._

_Eyes._

* * *

**_7 years later:_**

She forgot about him.

He doesn't remember her.

Her parents never wanted to see the Durslys again.

The Granger never came back to check on him.

It's been 7 long years since she had a friend.

It's been 7 long years since his uncle started abusing him.

But there is one thing that reminded them of each other.

Their heart beats.

That's how they knew that they've met before...

_Ba dum... Ba dum... Ba dum..._

... And that's how they met again.

There they are. Staring at each other. They've bumped into each other earlier. They both came to the market with their families to buy things they needed, and both of them met in the candy section. And by 'bumped into each other' I mean literally bumped into each other.

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" Said Harry nervously. "I wasn't looking where I was going! Here, l-l-let me help you up." He stood up quickly and went over to Hermione to help her up. "I'm sooooo sorry!"

"It's okay." Said Hermione, cutting him off. "I wasn't looking where I was I going either. No biggie. What's your name?" She asked.

"Oh! My name is-"

"Come here, boy! We're leaving!" Vernon saw him trying to speak to a girl so he went to stop it. _'Ha!'_ He thought. _'As if a freak like him can have any friends. Ha!'_

Harry saw his uncle shout at him and thought that he'd better leave before he'd get another beating. "I-I-I'm sorry. I have to go before my uncle get mad."

She looked really sad when he said that and he was ready to kill Uncle Vernon there and then.

But she smiled again. "It's okay. Well, see you around, I guess?"

Her smile must've been contagious, because he found himself smiling as well. "Of course."

They kept eye contact until the Durslys left. She kept listening to his heart beats until she couldn't hear them anymore. But she'll never forget them...

_His Bright._

_Green._

_Eyes._


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting At King's Cross

**_2 years later:_**

Harry was waiting at King's Cross. His uncle had dropped him off three hours early and he couldn't find Patform 9 3/4.

He's wearing his whale of a cousin's hand-me-downs, which, as you've probably guessed, fit him poorly. To any normal eye he looks like your typical poor, 11 year old boy. But in reality he isn't.

He's a Wizard.

Yes, you've read that correctly. A Wizard. A magical wand welding, cauldron stirring, spell casting Wizard. But he didn't really _know_ any spells, not yet at least. And that brings us back to King's Cross, where there's a train that'd take him to Hogwarts School For Witchcraft And Wizardry, where he'll be able to learn how to do magic. If only he could find the bloody platform first.

Harry thought that, obviously, he's not the only magical being in the world (No duh), which means there has to be other Hogwarts students who'd come here to get to the train he could follow, so he decided to wait.

He took out his Hogwarts letter and began re-reading it for what feels like the millionth time, but he _still_ couldn't get over the fact that someone would send _him_ a letter. Talk about self-esteem issues.

Harry, who was standing in front of the column between platforms 9 and 10 all this time, heard something he hadn't heard in two years.

_Ba dum... Ba dum... Ba dum..._

_'That... That heart beat.'_ He thought. _'But how? The last time I heard it was two years ago when I saw...'_ His thoughts trailed of. And not for the lack of words, but because he absent-mindedly turned his head towards the source.

And saw _her._

He saw what he can only describe as the prettiest girl he ever saw. Not that he ever saw any other pretty girls to compare to, you can thank the Durslys for that.

He saw her before, he knew that. In the market two years ago. But he didn't have time to catch her name. Another point for the Durslys

Her eyes flickered to his hands briefly...

And then her smile light up the entire station.

_

Hermione was an normal girl: Bushy hair, brown eyes, normal clothes, magical wand... Wait, what?

Yes, magical wand, and yes, she's a witch. Didn't see that one coming, did you?

And that's why she's at King's Cross, to board the Hogwarts Express and go to the school where she'll learn how to do magic.

Her day couldn't get better, but it could get worse. Her parents were dentists and had an important appointment today that couldn't be canceled, which left our favorite witch to go to the station alone.

She was knocked out of her thoughts when she heard something. Something he thought he'd never hear again.

_Ba dum... Ba dum... Ba dum..._

_'That sound.' _She thought. _'That's a heart beat! **His **heart beat!'_ She knew, of course, who that heart beat belonged to. She was able to figure it out, even though she couldn't explain _how. _She decided to do some research once she reaches Hogwarts magical library.

Exited, she quickly began to look for him. She didnt really remember him, she only saw him once and that was two years ago, but one thing about him stood out in her memories.

_Bright. Green. Eyes. _**(I couldn't resist!)**

She quickly began scanning people's eyes, and it wasn't long before she found him.

There he was. Standing in front of the column between platforms 9 and 10, holding a letter, and staring _right back at her. _

Her eyes caught the something on his letter, though. A crest. A _Hogwarts _crest. Just like the one on her own.

_'He's going to Hogwarts, too!' _

"Hello!" She said.

"H-Hi." He said back and he immediately cursed himself for stammering. _'Com'on! Get your wits together, make a good first impression!'_

"You're going to Hogwarts, aren't you?" She asked pointing at his letter. He was to caught by her eyes that he barely registered what she was saying.

"What...? Oh! Y-Yes, I'm going to Hogwarts. You?" And he immediately wanted to smack himself for that. It so _obvious. _She wouldn't even _know _about Hogwarts if she wasn't _going_.

He expected her to look at him in disgust, to say he's a weirdo, and to leave him to get on the platform. But she did non of those. She _giggled. _And he almost melted by that heavenly sound.

"Yes, I'm going to Hogwarts, too. Do you want to get on the platform together?" Her smile told him that shed having no problem if he agree or not,but in reality she was hyperventilating. _'Oh please, oh please, oh please say yes. Maybe I could make my first friend!'_

"Of course!... Only one problem..." _Of course.'_ She thought. _Who would want to join a bushy haired, buck toothed, bossy know-it-a-'_ "... I don't know how to get on the platform." He finished sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. He was sure he blew up his so called 'good' first impression by that.

_'That's it? I was almost certain he'd say it's because he didn't want to go with me.'_ "Well, lucky for you I do. I can show you how to do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Professor McGonagll -a professor at Hogwarts- told me how. You just run straight to that wall between platforms 9 and 10, and then, well you're on the platform." He just looked at her with disbelief. "Here, I'll show you." She looked around for several moments -to make sure no Muggle is watching- and then ran with her trolley straight to the wall.

And vanished.

Harry hap to rub his eyes and check his glasses to make sure that he didn't imagine it. _'Did I see what I think I just saw?' _and after a minute or two of standing there frozen, he witnessed her head coming ou to f the wall as if it was smock. "Well, what are you waiting for? Com on! The train won't wait for you if you stand there all day!" And her head disappeared again.

_'What's going on?' _He thought. _'Why am I acting like this? Why do I... Trust her? I barely even know her!' _But he can hear her heart beat. Surely that isn't a coincidence, right?

Without even a trace of hesitation, he followed after her to Platform 9 3/4.

And his fate changed forever.


	5. Chapter 5: Aboard The Hogwarts Express

Harry and Hermione were seated in an empty compartment, they both arrived 3 hours early so they had the entire train for themselves. They still took the last compartment, though.

"No way! You actually _said_ that!" Harry exclaimed. They've been talking for a while and Hermione was telling him how she finally stood up to her three years in a row bully.

"Yeah! You should've seen her face! It was like someone dropped ice down the back of her shirt!" They laughed at that, then descended into a comfortable silence. That is, until Harry realized something important.

"Hey! We've been talking for a while, now, and yet we don't know each other's name."

"Yeah, that's right. Haven't noticed that." She looked deep in thought. How _exactly_ did they forget about _that_? _'Doesn't it matter, now, does it?'_ "Well, my name in Hermione Granger."

"I'm Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter?" Her eyes went wide. "_The_ Harry Potter?" He nodded, confused. "I've read about you!"

"Pardon?"

"You are in history books! I remember reading about you in _Modern Magical History _and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century!"_

She read about him in _books_?

"Ooooooookaaay…?"

"Well, it's really amazing. How you banished the Dark Lord and saved the Magical World, I mean." She said. She was expecting many things from him at the moment: pride, smugness, arrogance, but she never in a million years thought she'd see _hurt_.

_'Of course she's likes the fame. No one wants to be my friend.' _He thought somewhat dejectedly. "It's not." He told her.

"What?"

"It's _not_ amazing. I don't even remember what I DID!" His frustration was building up. He didn't want to yell at his so called first friend, but he couldn't stop now. The door was opened and everything was spilling out. "FROM THE SECOND I LEARNED THAT I'M A WIZARD, EVERYONE'S BEEN HARRY POTTER THIS AND HARRY POTTER THAT! I DON'T ENEN KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE SO HAPPY! I DIDN'T ONLY KILL VOLDEMORT THAT NIGHT! I-I also… L-L-Lost my… p-p-parents." He sobbed out at the end. And before he even knew it, he was wrapped in her arms and crying openly on her shoulder.

Harry didn't cry often, he didn't want anyone to think he was weak. But he couldn't help but trust this girl. A girl who's caring for him. A girl who's holding him so tight he thought he'd break. A girl who's whispering soothing words to him like _"Shhh,"_ and _"It's going to be okay."_ A girl who he felt safe in her arms.

"I'm sorry." A sniff. "I wet your shirt." He said, gesturing to her now soaked white T-shirt.

"It's okay, really." He waved off his apology, then she pulled out her wand from her backpack that was sitting on the floor, and waved it on the wet spot while muttering an incantation. Her shirt became completely dry in an instant.

"Wow! How did you do that?"

"It's just a simple drying charm."

"Can you teach me?" He gave her his best puppy dog eyes he could make, trying to get her to agree. Once she nodded he scrambled to his trunk and pulled out his wand.

"Alright, like I said, it's fairly simple. All you have to do is wave you wand like that and say…" And she began to teach him the spell, and when he perfected that they moved on to other spells, like match to needles, _Lumos_, _Oculus Reparo_ (which she used to fix Harry's glasses), and _Alohamora_.

They didn't know how long they were sitting there, learning spells. They didn't notice that they were sitting together, practically pressing against each other.

They didn't realize that they've been holding hands as soon as Harry pulled out his wand.

Before they knew it the platform was filling with people (some already wearing school robes, while others are wearing some poorly convincing Muggle clothes), and they began to fill the train. Seeing as some people are already in their robes, Harry and Hermione agreed to change into their school wear. Harry was going to change in the compartment while Hermione went to the girl's loo.

Five minutes later (after Harry was finally changed and was waiting for Hermione), the compartment door opened and a mass of red hair came into view.

"Excuse me, can I sit here? Everywhere else is full." When he Harry agreed, he put away his trunk, and joined him.

"Hi, I'm Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

"Wow! You're _T__he-Boy-Who-Lived!"_ Either Ron was blind or completely dumb, because he didn't notice the look of utter annoyance on his companion's face. "Do you…. " Then he leaned in and whispered with a really low voice that Harry barely heard him, "Do you have The _Scar_?"

With a huff and an annoyed look (which Ron was still oblivious to), he moved his black locked out of the way to show him his forehead. "Wow." Said Ron. "Must be cool to be so famous, isn't it?" Harry had no idea how that happened but the one sided conversation shifted from him to Ron, to his brothers, to Quiditch. And Harry stayed silent the hole time for the sake of his mental health.

_'Man, Hermione was way easier to talk to.'_ Harry though. _'Where is she anyway?'_

After five, long, agonizing minutes, the lunch lady came and asked them "Anything for the road, dears?"

"No thanks, I brought my own lunch with me." Answered Ron, holding up some sandwiches.

But Harry didn't think that Hermione had any with her, and he's pretty sure that he didn't either, so he took out some Galleons from his pocket, looked at the lunch lady and said "We'll take the hole stuff!"

Once he brought in the candy, Ron immediately helped himself to a few Cauldron Cakes, while Harry looked at him strangely. _'Doesn't he have any manners? I didn't even buy the stuff for him!'_ Harry put the food in paper bags and stored them beside his trunk for him and Hermione to eat latter.

"My brothers, Fred and George, tought me a spell about a week ago. Wanna see?" Asked Ron.

"Yeah, sure." Answered Harry, who was hoping that letting him do the spell would make him shut up.

Ron too out his wand pointed it at his pet rat Scabbers who was sleeping.

Just then, to Harry's ultimate relief, the door opened and Hermione came in. "Sorry I took so long, Harry! I was helping a boy named Neville find his toad." She took a seat besides him (her fingers unconsciously interlaced with his again. Not that either of them noticed. Or minded), and, after he nodded at her, turned to Ron who still had his wand raised. "Oh! We're you going to cast a spell? Well, go on then. Let's see it."

Ron looked slightly annoyed at being interrupted (_Serves him right.' _Thought Harry) but carried on with the spell.

Well, _Tried __to, _anywayHe was interrupted, yet again, by the door swinging open.

Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: It was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, don't you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Credit to Draco Malfoy, didn't go red, but a pink tinge still appeared in his pale cheeks, though.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either."

"I think it's time for you to go, Malfoy." Said Hermione, who was silent the whole time, and gave her meanest glare she could master. Which pretty much had the ferrit running away with the classic _"This isn't over" _

Ron, who now is glade to have the spotlight back on him again, cleared his throat and proceeded with the spell.

_"Sunshine daisies,_

_Butter mellow._

_Turn this stupid_

_Fat rat yellow!" _

The spell was as stupid as it sounded because the sleeping rat didn't even twich.

Hermione looked strangly at the red head and said "That can't be a _real _spell. Spells don't sound like that."

Then with her free hand, she took her wand, pointed it at a cracked part of the window, and said "_Reparo!" _and the glass was fixed in a blink of an eye. When she turned back to the angry looking red head she said "We're going to arrive soon, so I suggest you get into your school robes."

Ron was stomp ing out of the compartment and Harry swore that he heard the other boy say _"Bloody show off"_ right before the door slid closed.

_'Well. I better be careful around that red head."_ He thought, tightening his fingers around Hermione.

Much to Hermione's delight.


	6. Chapter6: Welcom To Hogwarts

"Firs' years, firs' years over here! Arigh' there, 'arry?" Harry nodded at his half giant friend. Hagrid was his very first friend. He's the one who told Harry that he's a Wizard.

When Harry nodded to his half-giant friend, Hagrid turned back to his work. "Firs' years, firs' years! Anymore firs' years? Well follow me! Watch your steps!" And he began to lead them down a really rocky slope.

But when they reached the end of the road (Harry never really let go of Hermione's hand), and Hagrid pushed aside some bushes, the air was very suddenly filled with_" Oooooooh"_s and _"Aaaaaaah"_s. Our heros included. But who could blame them? The castle looked like it got straight out of a fairytale!

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Hermione were followed into their boat by Ron and a boy that Hermione said was Neville.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats all moved at Hagrid's command, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead (Harry and Hermione still held on to each other's hand). It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

Harry let go of Hermione's hand, climbed out of the boat first, then held his hand out for her, and she accept his help gratefully.

Ron, though, wasn't as grateful. Once he was out of the boat he pushed past Hermione without a glance or a second thought.

The first thing that crossed our heroes minds at the moment was _'That arrogant little little git.' _Though, in Harry's case, a long list of colorful words followed.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone 'ere? Okay, then!" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid to the tall, stern looking Witch that opened the door.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Professor McGonagall answered.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. Where they were so cramped together that Harry found it hard to breath (which was saying something considering his size).

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." She said looking disapprovingly at Harry's mope of a hair, Neville's clock that was fastened under his left ear, and Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

Everyone was so nervous that no one dared to speak. Except for Hermione, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry (whose hand is most likely glued to her's by now) gave her a comforting squeeze, which she responded to with a grateful smile.

Then something happened that made both of them jump about a foot in the air and several people behind them screamed.

"What the — ?" Harry began.

Then he gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall.

Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghos — What are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old House, you know."

"Move along now," said Professor McGonagall, who apparently just re-entered the room. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."


	7. Chapter 7: Better Be

Professor McGonagall led the first years to the great hall, positioning them so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History._"

Needless to say that it was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. _'Aunt Petunia would never have let something like that into the house.'_ Thought Harry

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

Y_ou can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your__ top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_That The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_Y__ou'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in hand.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause and then...

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

And so it went on. People got sorted into their Houses. Some people needed long minutes to be sorted , others only took moments. Take Malfoy, for example, the hat barely touched his head before it shouted _"SLYTHERIN!"_

How long have they been standing there, Harry didn't know, but it didn't take long until...

"Granger, Hermione!"

... _That _happened.

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

"Great! We've probably got the Know-it-all with us!" Ron complained. Harry only shot him a glare, which the red head (yet again) was oblivious to.

and then, at last...

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Did she say _Potter_?"

"_The_ Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

_"Hmm,"_ said a small voice in his ear. _"Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where to put you?"_

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought _'I want to be with Hermione.__ I want to be with Hermione.' _

_"Hermione, eh?"_ said the small voice._" Ah! I see. You want to be with your **Bonded Mate**, don't you? Then better be... _GRYFFINDOR!"

The hat shouted that last bit out loud, but it's voice was drowned by the cheers of the other Gryffindors (especially two red heads, who were shouting _"We got Potter! We got Potter!" _over and over).

Harry went to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione, who had a smile that put the setting sun to shame.

The young couple didn't realize that Ron was sorted into Gryffindor until he sat down on Harry's other side as if they were expecting him (which they were not).

McGonagall then rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The Pasteries now seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

And then, to Harry's ultimate surprise the dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

The Dursleys had never exactly _starved_ Harry, but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if it made him sick. So Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything (except the peppermints) and began to eat.

It was all delicious.


	8. Chapter 8: The Lion And The Serpent

Their schedules were quite packed.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets.

Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost.

Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staffroom fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him.

Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up. Only Hermione was interested enough to stay awake.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. Though, at the start of their first class and took the roll call, he gave an excited squeak and fell off his books when he reached Harry's name.

Professor McGonagall (as Harry predicted) was strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only two students had made any difference to their matchs: Hermione Granger, and (thanks to Hermione teaching him that charm on the train) Harry Potter.

Professor McGonagall showed the class how their matches had gone all silver and pointy and gave the young couple a rare smile.

Friday was an important day for the duo, because they had a class that they were 'eager' to get to.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Hermione as he poured sugar on his porridge at breakfast that morning.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Hermione after checking her schedule. Good thing she and Harry have similar schedules, at least they could spent most of the day together. "Professor Snape is Head of Slytherin House. The fifth years say he always favors them. I, for one, think that that's a load of rubbish. "

"You can't be so sure."

"Of course I can! Teachers are always fair and don't show any sign of favoritism!"

"Well. Let's see if that philosophy of yours would still stand after Potions."

True to the fifth years words, however, Professor Snape was just as 'loved' as his hair. And that's saying something.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new... celebrity. "

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word, it appears that Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, manipulating feelings, ensnaring the senses. . . I can tell you how to bewitch the mind...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in _death_... If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach. "

More silence followed this little speech. Harry looked at Hermione, who was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry stared at Snape for a moment. Then he blinked stupidly. _'Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?' _He thought. _'I don't know any of this!'_

"Uuhhh... I-I don't... I don't kno-" Then he froze, and his eyes widen in shock, but before anyone could notice anything he quickly collected himself and said "Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death." Snape, whose face was frozen mid-sneer, was clearly taken back. Than he continued.

"Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save a person from most poisons."

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, which also goes by the name of Aconite."

Snape, who was obviously hoping to catch Harry off guard, was seething with anger so much that the students though his head would explode.

"Well?" Snape said, turning to the other students. "Why aren't you copying all that down?" The room was then quickly filled with the sound of quills scratches on parchment.

Harry turned to look at Hermione, who looked back at him with disbelief. Then her face morphed into a proud smile and turned to do what Professor Snape said.

Harry, on the other hand, was consumed by guilt, because he _really _didn't know any of those things. The only reason he was able to answer was because he, suddenly, magically was able to hear someone who knew the answers.

It was someone's thoughts.

_Hermione's _thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9: Meeting With Hagrid

The next morning, Harry and Hermione were talking about Snape's utter hatred towards Harry (_Oh, Harry, just why would he do that?) _when the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:

'_Dear Harry,_

_I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._

_Hagrid'_

Harry looked at his best friend and asked "Hey Hermione, do you want to go down to Hagrid's with me this afternoon?"

"I don't know, Harry. I still got studying... to... do..." Hermione began but Harry quickly retaliated with his puppy dog eyes he knew Hermione couldn't resist. And they did right that. "Ugh. Fine. But only for a short time. We've still have our Transfiguration essay to complete."

Nodding, Harry stole Hermione's quill (_Hey!?)_, scribbled '_Yes, please, see you later.'_ on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang, back!"

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "_Back_, Fang!"

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the cornerstood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Harry and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

After getting the getting fed up with his tongue bath, Harry shoved Fang off of him and said "This is Hermione." Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate, nodded at her in greeting.

"Yer a Muggleborn, ain't ya?" said Hagrid.

"Yes, sir." Answered Hermione.

"No nee' to tha' 'sir' thing. Jus' call me Hagrid."

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Hermione pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

Harry was laughed when he heared Hagrid call Filch _"that old git."_ Though Hermione scowled at them.

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her, Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Though, Hagrid, to Harry surprise, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. "But he seemed to really hate me." Said Harry.

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why would he do tha'?"

"See? That's exactly what _I _said!"

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"So how did ya like Care O' Magical Creatures?"

Hermione knew that Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose but decided to drop it. While Hermione and Hagrid talked about different magical animals, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet.

**_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_**

**_Investigations_****_ continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown._**

**_Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._**

**_"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._**

"Hagrid!" said Harry, cutting short their conversation, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there when you took that package!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package._ 'Had that been what the thief was looking for?' _Thought Harry.

As Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Hermione thought that none of the lessons she had so far had given her as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Million questions were running through her mind in a span of three minutes. _'What__ package were they talking about? What's inside it? Did Hagrid collected it just in time? Where is it now? And does Hagrid know something about Snape that he doesn't want to tell Harry? If so, then what?'_


	10. Chapter 10: Youngest Seeker In A Century

Harry and Hermione met in the common room, like they do everday, only to notice a group of first year Gryffindors were pressing against each other to get a glimpse of what they suspected to be the Notice Board.

Not that long after, the young couple found themselves staring at the new notice.

Flying lessons would be starting that Thursday.

And Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Great!" Harry said darkly. "Just what I needed. To make a fool out of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You don't know that!" Replied Hermione. "For all we know you might be to good on a broom they might put you on the Quidditch team!"

"Yeah, now you're just making stuff up. There's no way they'll let a first year get on the team."

"You don't know that!"

"Okay, I don't. But I _do _know that I've _never _been on a broom before. I _will _make a fool out of myself."

"We shall see."

Harry, though, was able to see her uneasiness.

"Are... You okay, Hermione?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Harry gave her a disbelieving look. "Ugh. Okay, fine, I'm scared of heights! Happy now?"

She crossed her arms and looked away from him, and he said "Don't worry, Hermione, I'll help you."

She turned back to him with a shocked look on her face. "You will?"

"Of course I will." He held her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze. It became a habit now. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Harry."

Thursday came way to fast for Harry's liking, and, before he knew it, he was standing in the clearing with a broomstick beside him on the ground.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, said "Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. _'Mabe brooms cab tell when you were afraid..? '_ thought Harry, _'Kinda like horses.'_ there was a quaver in Neville's voice, though, that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Harry turned to Hermione and said "Psst, Hermione!" Once he got her attention he said "Don't be afraid, clear your mind, and say _'Up!'"_

She did exactly that, and the smile she gave him after the broom flew to her hand warmed him to the heart.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But Neville, who was nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up so fast that it looked like a crock of a bottle

Twelve feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and..

WHAM! He fell of. _'That looked like it hurt.' _Thought Harry. A nasty crack signaled that Neville was _not _okay at all. His broomstick, though, was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," She muttered. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Understand! Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

As soon as they were out of earshot Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom, Patil?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about... up a tree?"

"Give it _here!_" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well.

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move, you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry wanted to ignored her, but her frightened face warmed his heart again. "You have to stand up to bullies, or they'll think it's okay to do it again and again and again."

She had a thoughtful look on her face, but then nodded. Harry then turned back to Malfoy.

He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared. Air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him — and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught — this was easy, this was _wonderful_. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down, next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball. He stretched out his hand...

And caught it.

A foot from the ground but still caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

"HARRY POTTER!"

He froze and slowly turned to see Professor McGonagall running toward him. He got to his feet, trembling.

"Never, in all my time at Hogwarts —"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how dare you — might have broken your neck —"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

That it. He's gonna get expelled and they'll throw him back to the Durslys.

Out of all the sad and scared looks (and Malfoy's smug smile) he got, Hermione's horrified face made his heart sink into millions of pieces. He mouthed to her '_I'm sorry' _and followed McGonagall to the castle.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

_'__Wood?' _thought Harry, confused. _'What would she need wood for? To hit me with it?' _At that thought, Harry was ready to sprint across the hall.

But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I think I've found you a Seeker."


	11. Chapter 11: The Troll

It was Halloween.

And despite Oliver's secrecy about the new Seeker, the news somehow managed to leak to the rest of the school. Which, unfortunately for Harry, means more fame than being The-Boy-Who-Lived. Joy.

Then came Charmes Class.

The assignment that day had to be done in pairs and, to Harry and Hermione's annoyance, Hermione was paired with Ron, while Harry was paired with Seamus Finnegan.

Harry felt sorry for Hermione, but he did find something in common between her and Ron.

Both of them get extremely red in the face when angry.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Then Seamus shouted _"Wingardium Leviosa!" _and accidentally made the feather explode.

Harry, who was staring wid eyed at what was once a feather, said to Professor Flitwick "Sir? I think we'll need a new feather."

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much luck, either.

_"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're going to take an eye out! And you're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's _Wing-**gar**-dium Levi-**o**-sa,_ make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Harry didn't pay attention to them after that because he was busy re-doing the spell, this time just as Hermione said.

Harry and Hermione said at the same time _"Win**gar**dium Levi**o**sa!" _And both their feathers were in the air.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger and Mr. Potter have done it!"

After class, Hermione somehow convinced Harry to go to Gryffindor Tower on his own because she wanted to speak to Professor Flitwick.

Unfortunately, Ron caught up with him.

"Wing-**_gaaaaar_**-dium Levi-**_oooooo_**-sa! Honestly, she's a nightmare! No wonder no one can stand her."

Somebody pushed past them, and Harry was startled to see that it was Hermione. With _tears _in her eyes.

"She's heard you." Harry said.

"Who cares? She must've noticed she hasn't got any friends." Ron replied with his nose in the air.

"_I'm _her friend!"

Ron looked shocked. As if that was something that wasn't supposed to happen.

Harry took of after her. He's never been so happy that 'Harry Hunting' was Dudley and his gang's favorite game. He was able to build speed and stamina from all the running and dodging, so he was able to catch up with Hermione in no time.

That, and he can hear her heart beat. So even _if _he lost her, he'll be able to locate her again.

Just as he rounded a corner on the second floor, he found her rushing into the Girl's Loo. Just great.

Pressing his ear to the door, Harry strained himself to her anything other than the sobs that were breaking his heart. But he could only hear her heart beat.

_Ba dum... Ba dum... Ba dum..._

After being satisfied that it was only Hermione in there, he opened the door and crept in.

"Hermione?" The sobs stopped.

"Who's there? This is the girl's bathroom!" Asked Hermione, though she knew fully well who it was, having heard his heart beat following her. Out of all the students -and staff- in the entire school, she can only hear the heart beat of one single person, so her list on who was it the girl's bathroom was pretty short.

"Hermione, it's Harry." Harry, slowly, opened the stall that Hermione was in, and his heart broke all over again by the sight of her teary eyes that were looking back at him.

Harry immediately went for action.

"W-What are you doing? Hermione asked.

"Repaying you for what you did for me on the train."

"I was only trying to help you."

"And now I'm helping _you." _Harry said, tightening his arms around her.

They sat there in silence. Comfortable silence. Hermione was crying softly on Harry's chest and he didn't mind.

_Thud._

A great stomb shattered the silence.

_Thud. _

_Thud._

_Slame._

_Click. _

"Did somene just lock us in?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged.

_Smash._

A troll ripped the stoll door off its hings.

Harry and Hermione screamed and went of into different directions.

The troll was advancing on Hermione (who froze against the wall), knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry heard someone say, and then a tap zoomed past the troll's head against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" Harry saw Ron and, Surprisingly, Neville from the other side of the Chamber. Neville threw a metal pipe at the troll. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Hermione, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but Harry said "Leave. Hermione. ALONE!" Then he stuck his wand (which was still in his hand when he'd jumped) straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Neville, desperate to do something to help, cried the first spell that came to mind: _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its back, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Unfortunately for Harry, he was still on its back.

Harry screamed in pain. His entire lower body was beneath a 15 ton troll, which effectively shattered both of his legs.

"HARRY!" Hermione shouted, putting his head on his lap. "Someone, get a Professor! NOW!" And Neville took of.

"Hermione...? " Harry whispered, clearly in pain.

"Yes, Harry?" She answered, running her hands through his hair. Harry smiled at her.

"It's all your fault, Granger!" Harry and Hermione looked at the source of the sound, only to find being a red haired (and a red faced) furnace looking back at them.

Or specifically, Hermione.

"_My _fault? How come it's _my _fault!" Countered Hermione.

"If it weren't for you, Harry wouldn't've come here! That troll should've finished you off, you little shit!"

"FIVE POINTS FROM GRYFFINDORE, MR. WEASLEY!!" Neville came back. Followed by McGonagll, Snape, and (to Hermione's relief) Madam Pomfrey.


	12. Chapter 12: Ron, You Idiot

"I give up!"

That's what Madam Pomfrey said after failing to get rid of Hermione. Harry had to stay overnight because he needed to regrow all his bones in both of his legs. Courtesy of the giant troll.

Hermione, however, was sitting beside Harry's bed, holding his hand and never letting go. Madam Pomfrey tried to make Hermione leave a million times (Harry lost count after Twenty Two), sometimes by asking nicely, and sometimes by literally booby trapping Harry.

There's one time Madam Pomfrey made Harry's skin on his right hand (the hand Hermione was holding) so hot that it would burn the holder, thankfully, without burning the owner. In the end, Madam Pomfrey had to heal Hermione from Third Degree burns on her hand because she wouldn't let him go.

"If you want to stay overnight," Madam Pomfrey said to Hermione after declaring that she gave up. "then you better get comfortable on that chair because you'll not get any of the beds!" And then she left.

"Now that was rude." Harry said.

"Can you really blame her? She was only trying to do her job." Hermione said. "I was the one being stubborn."

"Well, I'm not complaining." He said smiling at her. She smiled back.

"Well, I better get some some pillows if I'm sleeping in this chair." She said, getting up.

"Which you won't."

"What are you- Woaah!" Harry pulled on her robes roughly, which caused her to fall backwards onto the bed. If anyone decided to look at them now, they'd think that Harry and Hermione wre cuddling.

"We're sharing the bed." Said Harry.

"N-No we can't." Said Hermione, blushing slightly. "You have to get some rest so your bones in your legs could regrow right."

"Well, it's not like you could kick me in your sleep, right?" Just to make sure he had her, he added his famous puppy dog eyes into the mix.

Hermione sighed. He can really get to her with those eyes of his.

"Alright, fine."

"Night, Hermione."

"Good night, Harry."

And they slept just like that, with Hermione head on Harry chest, their legs locked,...

And both of their hands slowly moved towards each other until they intertwined comfortably. A position they stayed in till the morning.

Madame Pomfrey, who was actually watching them the entire time, thought _'Yes! My plan worked! You better get together by fourth year, you two, so I can win that bet I have with the Weasley Twins.' _Then she set Privacy Wards around their bed so they won't be disturbed. Poppy really wanted to win that bet.

Ron visited the next day and apologized whole heartedly (not) to Hermione, so he could be friends with Harry.

But Harry was not as dump as Ron. While He knew of his intentions, he just wanted the redhead to get to know Hermione, she was very sweet and he was sure that he would like her.

Harry was released that evening. Him, Hermione, and Neville became friends after that, otherwise known as The Golden Trio. Ron, being the dimwitted walking stomach that he is, thought that The Golden Trio consisted from him, Harry, and Neville. No one really bothered to correct him, wanting to know how this'll end up.

Malfoy came up to them during dinner that day. He barged a little, then challenged Harry to a Wizarding Duel at midnight in the Trophy Room. But Harry knew what he was up to. He wanted them to be out after curfew so they would get in trouble.

Harry was about to decline when Ron said "We accept! And I'll be his second! Who's yours?" Malfoy, who looking like Christmas came early this year, said that Crabbe will be his second.

After Malfoy left, Harry, Hermione, and Neville all turned to Ron and said at the same time "Ron, you idiot!"

Ron, looking as confused as ever, said "What did I do?"

Surprisingly, it was Neville who answered, while holding a finger indicating each point "Here's what you did: first, you accepted a Wizarding Duel on Harry's behalf without even asking him. Second, you announced yourself as his second without as much as a glance at him. Third, you accepted a duel from Malfoy, who's bound to set us up!"

"Us?"

Hermione cut in "Out everything he just said, 'Us' is what upset you the most? And of course it's us!" She took hold of Harry's hand. Again. "I'm not leaving Harry!"

"Me neither!" Added Neville.

Touched by their words, Harry chocked out "Thanks guys."

Hermione smiled softly at him, then her face turned serious. "So what are we going to do with this problem?"

Ron said "Nothing. We'll just go there at midnight and show 'em who's boss!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and asked him "And _how _will we do that, Genius? The only effective spell we know is The Levitation Charm!"

"We used it to knock out a Troll!"

"_Neville _used it to knock out a Troll. And we can't use it to levitate anything from the Trophy Room, it'll only get us in more trouble!" Hermione turned to Neville "Can't he just not go?"

Neville shook his head in negative. "If he did, it'll be a permanent stain on him. That's the hole point of a Wizarding Duel, you either fight for your honor, or you live without it. That rule goes on everyone, even an eleven year old."

Harry was busy glaring daggers at Ron who hastily left the Great Hall with some exuse about needing to go to the bathroom. Hermione, meanwhile, wasn't paying attention at all _'Y__ou fight for your honor, or you live without it?' _She thought _'While it sounds like something from the Middle Ages, I think it is the key for our problem.' _Hermione knows that Malfoy fights dirty _'An__d I bet that he won't even show up, but he'll tip off Snap or Flich that we'd be out after curfew. But what if...'_

Hermione then snapped herself back to reality. "Neville?" She said. And the chubby boy looked at her. "You said that the rule goes on everyone, even an eleven year old?" Neville nodded, confused. Hermione smiled "Then I think I have a plane."

Harry and Neville leaned in so they could hear what Hermione's got in mind. Once she finished, they all had devilish smirks on their faces.

_

**A/N: Sorry I haven't been able to write in so long! There was a problem with the network! **


	13. Chapter 13: An Unexpected Twist

It was almost curfew. Professor McGonagll was grading that day's assignment. She was reading an exceptionally long and detailed parchment when she was interrupted by the door.

_Knock, knock._

"Come in." Said Professor McGonagll. _'Ah! Speak of the Devile!'_ She thought, then said out loud "Miss. Granger? How can I help you?"

Her star student's eyes fell on the parchment in her hands and, instantly recognizing it, she asked "Did I do that one well?"

McGonagll smiled, and with red ink, she wrote a big 'O' on the top of the assignment. "An Outstanding like always, Miss Granger. But I don't think your worry for your mark is what brought you here thirty minutes before curfew, is it?"

Hermione smiled. "No, Professor, it isn't."

McGonagll smiled in return, then gestured to one on the chairs in front of her. "Then have a seat, Miss Granger. I get the feeling I'm going to write an exuse for Mr. Flich for you being out of bed way after curfew."

Hermione's smile widened as she complied.

In another part of the castle, Mr. Flich was talking to another student in his office.

"A prank, you say?" Asked Flich.

"Yes, Mr. Filch." Answered Neville. "Some Slytherins'll tell you that students would be out of bed in The Trophy Room, while, in reality, no one is. It'll be a false alarm." seeing his slightly untrusting face, Neville decided to change tactics. "They just want to see You and _Mrs. Noris_ struggling to find none-existent students."

Neville knew then that he had him. Filch likes that cat of his way to much. _'It's almost like he's married to it.'_ He thought.

Outside the castle, a suspiciously similar conversation was taking place in a fimiliar hut.

"They wan' ter frame ya!?" Hagrid asked. Well more like yelled. "No one messes with ya while ah'm breathin'!"

Hagrid advanced on the door, with every intention to hurt a certain blond, when he found Harry blocking his way.

"Thanks, Hagrid, I appreciate you're effort, but I've got a plan. Come with me." Harry took his first friend's hand and took off towards the castle.

_

Their plan worked! It actually worked! Everything went as they expected! Well, most of it anyway.

They didn't tip off Filch as they expected, but McGonagll caught Malfoy and Crabbe trying to sneak into the Trophy Room, and Hagrid was able to somehow convince Dumbledore who was at fault here (_"It was just a harmless prank, Hagrid."_), which resulted in a detention for Malfoy with Snape. But Harry had a _feeling_ that Malfoy won't be serving any punishment.

What Harry didn't expect, though, was seeing Hedwig waiting for him with a letter first thing in a Christmas morning.

_'I wonder who could that be.' _He thought, releasing Hedwig from her burden.

**_'_****_Meet me by the Black Lake tonight at 12:00._**

**_And don't. Tell. Anyone.'_**

_'Okaay...?' _Thought Harry. _'Wasn't expecting that.'_

But Harry decided to go one with his day, and deal with this mysterious person when the time came.

And it came faster than he expected.

Before he knew it, it was already Midnight.

Harry was making his way down the stairs under his father's Invisibility Cloak, with his wand in hand. You can't be too careful.

Harry made his way out of the castle through the yard, and to Black Lake.

He checked his surroundings and, after making sure he was alone, took of the cloak.

"I knew you'd come here invisible." Said a voice.

Harry turned around so fast he heard his neck crack. But he couldn't care less at the moment. Because standing there in front of him was the boy he hated the most besides Dudly.

Malfoy.

So Harry did the first thing that came to mind. With a little _"Wingardium Leviosa!" _, Malfoy was up in the air.

Malfoy blinked. Then sighed. "I guess I sort of deserve that."

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"I just want to help you."

"Yeah, right. You were just trying to get us expelled!"

"Will you please just listen to me!"

"Why should I?!"

"Because I'm in no place to do anything!" Malfoy shouted, gesturing to himself where he was still in the air. Then to his wand that fell on the ground during their quarrel.

Harry eyed him closely, trying to detect any lies. But finding none, he nodded to Malfoy. "But I'm not letting you down."

Malfoy shrugged. "Fine by me."

"Now tell me how we're you planning on helping me by getting me expelled." Asked Harry.

"I wasn't trying to get you expelled. I just wanted to talk to you alone." Answered Malfoy. "And that was hard to do with everyone staring at you because you're _Harry Potter._"

"How do I know that you're not making that up?"

"If I was making that up, I wouldn't have left you that note yesterday!"

Harry was confused. What note? Then it downed on him.

Yesterday morning he found a note besides his glasses on the night stand when he woke up.

It said: _'Snape is going to ask questions about the ingredients of The Draught Of Living Death today.'_At first, Harry thought it was a prank. They haven't got to that part in class yet. Then he thought that it was Snape they were talking about, so he told the others.

Neville dived for the books as soon as he heard the news from Harry, trying to memorize as much facts as possible. Hermione, however, didn't believe him. Saying that there was no way Snape was going to ask about something he hadn't taught yet.

So she was surprised when Snape _did _ask about it in his lesson that day. She was glad she reviewed that part with the others.

Harry snapped back to the present. "That was _you?!" _He asked, barely believing it.

Malfoy nodded, still in the air. "Snape told us in the Slytherin Common Room. Apparently he was trying to catch the Griffindors of guard. Now will you please let me down before you empty your magical core?"

Harry let him down. He _was _feeling a little tired. But he still kept his wand pointed at Malfoy just in case.

Malfoy picked up his fallen wand, pocketed it, and lifted his hand in the air to show Harry that he's harmless.

"I don't agree with my father's ideas about Purebloods." He began. "But I can't openly oppose it. He's got student spies all over Hogwarts to make sure I'm 'on the right track'. That's why I was so mean to you. I just want to help you."

Harry lowered his wand, but still got a firm grip on it. "What do you mean?"

Malfoy, seeing the wand go down, lowered his hands. "I'm gifted with the ability to sense magic, but I haven't told anyone about it. Not even my parents, so I don't have that much practice. But I can tell that there is dark magic roaming Hogwarts. And, for some reason, it's after you. That's why I want to help you."

Harry sighed and, against his better judgment, pocketed his wand. "I believe you." He crossed his arms. "But that doesn't mean I trust you. You're going to have to work at it if you want to earn my trust."

Malfoy shrugged again. "I can live with that."

Harry smiled. "Then let's start again." He extended his hand. "Hello. My name is Harry Potter."

Malfoy smiled back, taking his hand. "And I'm Draco Malfoy."


	14. Chapter 14: The Plan

It was... strange... to say the least. Being friends with Malfoy. Even if they didn't show that they were friends (Draco was right about the student spies. Harry saw some fifth year Slytherins following Draco not-so-subtly every now and then), they still hung out at night by the black lake, though.

Hermione and Neville, however, ripped him a new one when he told them about their new... 'situation'. They kept telling him that Malfoy was only doing this so he could stab them in the back later. All of that changed when Harry brought them to their nightly hangouts, though. Neville immediately accepted him -He knew what it was like trying (and failing) to live up to someone's expectations-, while Hermione presented him with not-so-pretty threats that left little to imagination. Poor Draco was left pale faced (well pale_r_) the entire time that night.

* * *

"Hey, Harry." Said Hermione during one of their study session in the Library, while Neville was at Herbology. Draco can't join them for obvious reasons.

"What is it, Hermione?"

"Where do you live?" Harry sopped flipping through One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi for reference on his Potions essay.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just... you know..." She bit her lip. "I just wanted your address to Owl you during the summer if you... Wanted to keep in touch?" He mentally face palmed. Of course! The thought the school year ending and them going their separate ways never crossed his mind. He got so comfortable with her that he didn't know how he lived without her before, or what he'd do after parting ways during the summer.

"I-It's okay if you din't want to, I mean-... What are you doing?" She asked, seeing him scribbling away on a piece of parchment he cut off earlier.

"I'm giving you my address..." He gave her the note. "...so you could Owl me." _No.21 Coates Way_ it read. "If you'd give me yours so I could Owl you too...?"

"Oh! Right!" She gave him her address: _No.4 Privet Drive._

"We used to live in Privet Drive, you know."

"You did?"

"Yeah. We moved to Coates Way 8 years ago. We used to live in No.15." Hermione perked up at that. _'No.15... Why does that sound... familiar?_ It's like there's something important about that address, but I can't quit put my finger on it.'

"Where is Neville anyway?" Said Harry, clearly trying to change the subject. Hermione pointed over his shoulder to where Neville was looking for a book a few rows away.

"Draco?"

Before Harry, something hit him in the back of his head. Turning around, he saw Draco looking at him from his table then quickly left the Library.

"What's up with him?" Asked Neville, who came back from his book hunt.

"I don't know." Said Harry. Then he saw what hit him: a crumbled piece of parchment. Picking it up, he added "But I think he's trying to tell us something."

He spread it to find a note. Both Neville and Hermione looked aver his shoulder to read.

_Meet me by the Black Lake. All three of you. **Now.**_

"Something's definitely up." Said Hermione.

"Let's go." Said Harry. They all scrambled out the door, trying to get to The Lake as quickly as they can.

They found him there, pacing back and forth anxiously. "Draco!" Harry shouted. "What's up? It sounded urgent."

"The Dark Magic. It's moving." He said, sounding completely panicked.

"Moving?" Said Hermione.

"I mean, it was always moving. To all parts of the castle. But it went there only once, and I'm getting worried about what's in there."

"Where?" Neville inquired.

"The third-floor corridor on the right-side of the castle." He answered. "The one Dumbledore said not to go to."

"But why would it go there?" Asked Hermione.

"I don't know." Said Harry. "But we're going to find out. Tonight."

"We can't sneak out! What if we get in trouble!"

"Someone has to do something, Hermione!"

"I agree with Harry." Said Neville. "The teachers obviously won't do anything. It's up to us now. That's what Gryffindors would do."

"Well, I'm no Gryffindor." Said Draco. "But I still agree. We have to do something."

Hermione sighed, Defeated. "Fine. But how are going to meet up?"

Harry turned to Draco. "Where is The Slytherin Common Room?"

"In the Dungeons."

"Can you go to The Great Hall undetected?"

Draco smirked. "Well, I wasn't sorted into Slytherin for nothing."

Harry nodded. "The three of us will meet in our Common Room, use my Invisibility Cloak, and pick you up by The Great Hall."

"Sounds like a plan." Neville said. Hermione nodded in agreement.

"We're going there tonight." Harry said, extending his hand to them. Hermione was the first to put her hand on his, followed by Neville, then Draco.

_'Watch out, Dark Magic.' _Thought Harry. _'The Golden Quartered are coming after you.'_

* * *

**Author's note: I just want to say a few things:**

**1) OH MY GOD MY STORY ACTUALLY REACHED 70,000 VIEWS?! YOU'RE LOVE FOR THIS STORY GIVES ME INSPIRATION!**

**2) In 'Chapter 11: The Troll' people have been asking why McGonagll would take only Five points from Ron for wishing that The Troll killed Hermione. Well, she didn't know. She only heard 'the little shit!' part and deduced points accordingly. Sorry if I didn't make that clear enough.**

**3) I got some really negative responds to my story**

**that I haven't seen till two weeks ago (I didn't even know that I got reviews _at all _till then) and I just want to say to those haters: Don't like it, don't read it. The Back Button is right there. ****I'm not writing this story for you. **

**Thank you all for reading my story, and happy late Thanksgiving!**


	15. Chapter 15: Busted? Not Yet! Shit

The three Lions meet in The Common Room when they were sure that everyone else has gone to bed.

"How are we going to get past the Fat Lady?" Asked Hermione.

"To be honest, I haven't really thought that far." Harry said, then he recoiled at Hermione's glare. "D-Do portraits even sleep?"

"They don't." Neville said, grabbing their attention. "Once I was having a detention with Snap and he let me off pretty late. Thought that she was asleep, but as soon as I said the password, she opened up right away."

"Great. Let's go." Said Harry, throwing The Cloak over the three of them. They opened the door and quickly made their way out.

"Whose there?" Said The Fat Lady, wildly looking around as she closed the door. Then she sighed. "The Weasley Twins. Jinxing my hings so I would think that there are students out of bed and warn Filch like last year. They'd do anything for a laugh, wouldn't they? Well, not this time!" The Trio sighed in relief, silently thanking The Weasley Twins.

Once they were sure that they'er out of The Fat Lady's earshot, they broke into a mad dash for the great hall, where Draco was waiting.

Draco was waiting for them by the door, constantly looking from right to left, to right again as if he was expecting Filch to turn up any moment, which was justifiable.

"Draco!" Hermione whisper-yelled, which made him jump a foot in the air.

"It's us!" Harry said, opening The Cloak just a little to show Draco their faces.

"Will The Cloak be able to cover all of us?" Asked Draco.

"It's going to be a tight fit, but I think we can all squeeze in."

Draco reluctantly ducked under The Cloak, and, Harry was right, it _was_ tight, But they _weren't_ able to squeeze in. All their feet were visible up to the knees, Harry's and Neville's torsos (who were in the middle) were not that well hidden, and Hermione's hair was sticking out.

Suddenly, The Cloak -as if it was able to sense their struggle- expanded, giving the quartered enough room to cover themselves.

"Now that was unexpected." Said Neville, once they all stopped struggling.

"Can Invisibility Cloaks even do that?" Asked Hermione.

"Not that I know of." Answered Draco. "My Father used to have an Invisibility Cloak, too, but it never done that when he tried. In fact, it split in half."

"A Charm maybe?" Asked Neville.

"I doubt it." This time, Hermione answered. "Harry said that it used to belong to his father. I don't think a simple Charm would last that long." Then with a thoughtful look, she added. "I think I'm going to research Invisibility Cloaks once we're done."

"I'm sure you would." Harry said. "Let's go."

They made their way through hallways and corridors, on their way to third floor. They managed to bypass Filch at some point, though it took them almost suffocating from holding their breath for so long.

"Uhh... Guys..." Said Draco, when they were (finally) on the third floor.

"We're almost there, Draco." Said Harry.

"N-No, not that. L-Look at this." They all turned to see what he was pointing at to see...

"Mrs. Norris?" Neville said.

"Sh-She's been following us for the past five minuets n-now. It's starting to creep me out."

"Maybe it's just a coincidence." Said Hermione. "It's not like she can see us." But when they moved, she moved with them. When they stopped, she stopped with them, all while keeping her eyes fixed on them. "Or maybe she can."

"Mrs. Norris?" Came Filch's voice as he appeared from a corner. "What is it? Students out of bed?" The cat meowed, eyes still fixed on them. "Sniff around, My Sweet, they must be here somewhere."

"Come on!" Harry said. They moved as fast as they could without making much noise, but Mrs. Norris was still after them and so was Filch. They turned a corner. Then another. Then another. Then...

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell."

... They ran into Snap... Confronting Quirrell?

Though they didn't have time to question the situation, because Filch was still hot on their tails.

"Aha!" Said Filch. Though his triumph turned to disappointment when he saw that they weren't students (not that he could see, that is).

"What is it, Filch?" Said Snap, sounding quite irritated though his voice remained calm and collected. "Can't you see I'm in the middle of a delicate matter?"

"Students out of bed, Professor!" Answered Filch. Snap turned suddenly, starring right at them as if he could see them.

"It must be that arrogant Potter. Seeking out past curfew." He said.

"Run?" Whispered Neville to the others.

"Run." Hermione confirmed. And run they did. Just in time to see Snap grasping the air when they were standing not a second ago.

"Don't let them get away!" They heard Snap shout.

"In here!" Harry said, pointing to a big wooden door. But when he tried to open it, he found that it was locked.

"Move over!" Said Hermione. Then after she shoved him out of the way and accidentally kneeing him in the stomach _(Sorry, Harry!), _she pointed her wand at the knob and said _"Alohomora!"_

They entered the room, taking off The Cloak just enough to uncover their heads so they could breath. "We... made it..!" Panted Harry.

"N-Not... E-E-Exactly..." Neville whimpered. Draco, Hermione, and Harry turned to see what he's looking at to find a head... two...three...heads staring right at them. And they did not look friendly.

They screamed as The Cerberus growled at them. Scrambling to get The Cloak fully back on, they darted out of the room, closed the door, and locked it just as they heard a great thumb coming from the other side.

"I heard screaming! Potter must be this way! And it looks like he's got friends." Said Snap from far off.

"Oh no!" Said Hermione. "We're going to get busted!"

Harry, who was desperate to find a way out, shouted "This way!" pointing to another locked door. After performing another _'Alohomora', _they scrambled through and closed the door behind them...

...Only to come face to face with Albus Dumbledore...

..._Shit_...

* * *

**Author's note: People have been saying in the reviews that I skipped a lot of scenes in my story. Well, I didn't. I only skipped one scene: Christmas presents. I can't really fit it into the plot, and I think everybody knows how Harry got his Cloak. As for the rest, they'll come eventually, just in different order. You didn't really expect everything to move along the same way without Ron, did you? That's literally Time Travel 101! You change something from the past, almost nothing in the future is the same! Just look at 'The Cursed Child' for instance****!**


	16. Chapter 16: Who Was It?

**_Previously, on 'Harry Potter And The Soul Bond':_**

_"I heard screaming! Potter must be this way!"_

_"We're going to get busted!" _

_"This way!"_

_They scrambled through and closed the door behind them..._

_...Only to come face to face with Albus Dumbledore..._

_...Shit..._

* * *

Dumbledore was sitting on a throne-like chair in the middle of an empty room, looking at them, and... snoring?

What?

The door slammed opened behind The Quartet, and they barley had time to get out of the way before an angry Snap stormed in and shouted "I've got you now, Potter!" But he stopped in his tracks when he saw Dumbledore sitting there.

Dumbledore groaned and looked at Snap. "Well hello there, Severus. I didn't think I'd see you here tonight."

"Where you asleep... With your _eyes open?" _Snap asked.

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore answered. "A talent I developed over all those boring board meetings I had to attend."

"I'm not sure I agree with your definition of '_talent'_."

"Oh come now, Severus." Said Dumbledore, standing up and banishing his chair wandlessly. "Don't be like that. Is there a reason you came in here screaming like that?"

Snap's eyes widened as he remembered who he'd been chasing. "Potter!" The quartet gulped. "Potter came here!"

"Are you sure, Severus?"

"Yes! Filch said... that his cat..." Snap trailed off, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Mrs. Norris saw him?" Snap didn't answer. "Severus, You know that Argus trusts that cat way too much. And as you can see..." He raised his arms gesturing to the room. "... There's no one here."

"He could be using his father's Invisibility Cloak! Didn't you say you'd give it to him on his first Christmas in Hogwarts?"

"I intended to, but, you see... I lost it."

"You **_lost _**it?"

"Yes. And I need your help to find-" He was cut off by some barging in shouting through the open door.

"The Weasley Twins!" Filch said as he busted into the room. "They bewitched all the desks in the school! They're on a rampage!" He then ran out again after a sound of wood hitting the ground repeatedly.

"We'll discuss this later, Severus." Said Dumbledore, pulling out his wand. "Let's go!" And he ran after Filch. Snap not too far behind.

Once they made sure that no one else was going to bust in the room, they let out sighs of relief.

"That was close." Said Neville.

"_Way_ too close." Said Hermione. "And what did Professor Dumbledore mean by 'Lost it'? I didn't even know he had The Cloak in the first place!"

"That _is _rather odd." Said Draco. "Especially when he said he was going to give it to Harry for his first Christmas here." Draco then turned to Harry. "Didn't you say that you got it as a Christmas present?"

"Yeah. I did." Harry fiddled with something in the pocket of his robe. "I still have the letter that came with it right here. You _have _see it." The others all got around Harry to try to read it's continents.

**_Harry,_**

**_This Cloak was in your family for generations, and it belonged to your father before you._**

**_It could've helped him that day, 10 years ago, but_ _someone__ wanted to 'inspect' it the day before._**

_**It could've saved them. I could've saved them. But the past is in the past.**_

_**By returning The Cloak to it's rightful heir, I've fulfilled my promise to James. The Cloak is a power to be reckoned with, Harry, so use it wisely.**_

_**Now it's time for my promise to Lily.**_

_**I couldn't save them then, so let me save you now.**_

**_Sincerely_**_**, **_

_**A Friend.**_

"When were you going to tell us this?" Asked Hermione.

"I planned to when we were back at the library." Harry answered. "But I got sidetracked with Draco screaming 'Dark Magic!'"

"Don't throw this on me!"

"Wait, hold on..." Neville cut in. "So The Invisibility was your Dad's..."

"Yup."

"And Dumbledore took it almost right before the attack..."

"_Professor_ Dumbledore, Neville."

"Then it got stolen by someone who then sent it to you as a Christmas present?"

"That's a way to sum it all up." Shrugged, Draco.

"But now that you say that all out loud..." Said Harry. " That _does_ sound kinda suspicious."

"You _think?!_" Asked Hermione, to which Harry just smiled sheepishly.

"I think the better question to ask is..." Said Draco, looking at them one by one, lingering on Harry a little bit longer. "..Who was it?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey, guys! Atrix Reaper here! So sorry for the late (and very short) update, but I'm here to at least justify myself with an excuse you'll probably wanna skip to the next paragraph if you don't wanna see me rambling. So, when I write the chapters of this story, I do it while fake studying (writing the chapter while I'm pretending to be studying God knows what I was supposed to gaze blankly at at the time), but I was on small hiatus to _really _study for the SATs. The original plan was to get back to the fake studying thing after the SATs and before the GPAs, but the COVID-19 threw everything out the window. Now mum's got nothing better to do other than breathing down my neck to make sure I'm studying T-T. So I woke up at 4 am to get this chapter done for you guys. And by the way, It was. _Not. Fun._**

**That. And my cat jumped out the window XP.**

**So, other than that, thanks to every reader who stuck with me from the beginning and was patient with me. And thanks to those who just joined and took the time to read my story. I hope my story is entertaining enough during the quarantine, and stay at home to keep you, and everyone else, safe.**

**Bye!~**


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